Page 12 of Izzy and Her Off-Limits Love

I’m already shaking my head. “Liam already said he doesn’t want to sing.”

Chuck stands suddenly, pressing a hand over his heart with far too much sincerity, like he’s volunteering as tribute and not just as a partner for karaoke. “I’ll sing with you, Izzy.”

As soon as the words are out of Chuck’s mouth, Liam shoots to his feet, holding out a hand. “That’s okay. I’ll do it.”

“She said you didn’t want to sing,” Chuck says with a frown, and suddenly, I feel like I’m in the middle of a weird adult game of tug of war where I’m the rope. Meanwhile, patrons are starting to get antsy as the emcee for the night calls our names again and then one more time.

Liam’s eyes meet mine. “I’m happy to humiliate myself for Izzy.”

It’s no declaration of love, but I’ll take it. Sliding my palm into his, I get to my feet, then give Alisa a look. “Fine. But this is it. No more secretly signing me or Liam up for more songs.”

She holds up her hands in mock surrender. “Promise.”

As we make our way up to the stage, I start to pull my hand from Liam’s, but he doesn’t let go. Instead, he leans closer.

“You’re going to really have to hold my hand through this,” he says playfully, giving my fingers a squeeze. “I’m pretty bad.”

“I’m sure you’re not as bad as you think,” I tell him.

But I was wrong. It takes one line of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” for me to realize he issomuch worse than I could have imagined.Pretty badis a level Liam can only aspire to.

Still—he goes all in, singing his part with dramatic flair, a charming smile, and completely horrible pitch. It’s hard to sing my parts because I can’t stop giggling, and I’m shocked by the bar’s enthusiastic response. There are hoots and cheers, and a few people bang on tables when Liam hits a particularly bad notewith gusto. A row of guys at a table in the back who clearly came prepared hold up hand-drawn signs with tens on them.

I laugh into the mic, flubbing my line, which Liam completes for me in a terrible falsetto, throwing a wink my way. Someone wolf whistles, and Liam throws one arm around me while he sweeps the other out to the side.

I don’t even think about how close we’re standing until the song is over, and we’re clasping hands and taking a bow to wild applause. We’ve brought the house down, and I can’t remember the last time my face hurt so much from smiling.

When Liam turns to me, grinning, my gaze falls to his mouth. Just for a moment, but long enough that his smile drops, and when I look at him, he’s the one looking atmymouth.

Natasha, I think.Natasha Natasha Natasha!

Her name rings like an alarm bell in my mind, and before I know it, I’ve practically thrown my mic at the next person and am bolting toward what I hope is the bathroom.

Only it’s not. I chose the wrong side of the bar, and the little hallway I thought might lead to the ladies room is actually one of the kitchen entrances. Which means Liam catches me before I can get out of the cramped hallway. A server comes out with a tray of bar food and gives us both a dirty look. Liam steps even closer to let them pass, and now there is absolutely no oxygen in this space.

“Izzy?” His brow is furrowed, concern etching his features. “What is it?”

When I don’t answer, he tries again. With a crooked smile, he asks, “Was my singing that bad?”

I laugh, but it comes out almost like a sob. “Your singing was endearingly awful,” I tell him, fighting the wobble in my lip.

Liam reaches out, his fingertips grazing my cheek. “Then what is it? You know you can talk to me. You always can.”

I want to lean into his touch, but Natasha’s name is still pulsing through me.

“You have a girlfriend,” I say, stumbling a little over the last word. “You’re here, and you’re looking at me, but … I can’t stop thinking about her. Wondering if she would care if she’d seen us singing together.”

He rears back, a crease forming right between his eyebrows. But then his expression clears, his gaze warm as he says, “Izzy, I broke up with her. Right after Christmas last year.”

FIVE

Liam

I watch Izzy,my concern growing as the color drains from her face.

She has to be talking about Natasha. But that makes no sense. It’s been almost ayearsince we broke up. How could Izzy not know?

Then there’s the way I’ve been shamelessly flirting with her all day. Does she think I would do that if I were seeing someone else?

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